Strip feed guide



1941: A. s. E-EDVJELL 2,229,924

STRIP FEED GUIDE Filed May 7, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTUR ALBERT ExHOWELL I ATY 1- k I A. s. HOWELL ,9

STRIP FEED GUIDE Filed May 7, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 y z I 4 v INVENTURALBERT E]. HEIWELL 7 BY 'ATTY.

Patented Jan. 1941 UNITED STATES 2,229,924 STRIP rnnn GUIDE Albert S.Howell, Chicago, 111., assignor to The Bell & Howell Company, Chicago,111., a corporation of Illinois Application May 7, 1937, Serial No.141,329

8 Claims.

guide which provides an accurate and desirable.

guiding of a strip both facewise and edgewise of the strip withoutnecessitating facewise engagement of the strip with a view towardeliminating the possibility of. scratching the faces of the s rip withthis object in view my invention consists in certain features of noveltyin the construction, combination-- and arrangement of parts by which thesaid object and certain other objects, hereinafter appearing, areeffected, all as fully described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims. Inthesaid drawings- Figure l is a sectional view in rear elevation of alight apertured motion picture film strip feed guide embodying myinvention, with parts broken away and shown in section;

Figure 2 is. a section substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure3 is a section substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure l; and Figure 4is a partially ditic sectional view in elevation similar to Figure 3 andillustrating a modification of my invention.

Referring to Figures 1,' 2 and'3 of the drawings, I designates avertically extending frame member which is provided with averticalrearwardly extending portion 2. A guide plate 3 is secured invertical transverse position on the rear face of the frame member I bymeans of headed screws 4. The plate I is of U-shape and has the legportions 5 thereof extending horizontallyltoward the portion 2 of theframe member A second guide plate 6 is disposed in vertical transverseposition between the leg portions 5. The opposing horizontal edges ofthe leg portions 5 are provided with parallel V-grooves I extendingtherealong, and the opposite horizontal edges of the guide plate 8 areprovided with parallel V-grooves I extending therealong, thus formingopposing parallel pairs of bearing V- grooves. Spaced bearing balls Iare engaged between the opposing pairs of the bearing grooves I and 8,and,.as shown, comprise three which are arranged in triangularly spacedrelation. The

guide plate 8 is thus mounted by anti-friction ll bearing means forhorizontal transverse move- (CI. 88-17) m ment relative to the guideplate 3, usual perfo-, rated retainer plates Ii being engaged with theballs 9 for retaining them in proper positions.

The outer vertical edge of the guide plate 6 is provided with a V-groove 12 extending therealong and this groove is curved on a rearwardlydisposed axis, as best shown in Figure 3. The inner vertical edge of thevertical portion of the guide plate 3 is provided with a V-groove l3extending therealong and this groove opposes the w groove 12 and iscurved correspondingly therewith.

The grooves l2 and I3 form spaced opposing V-grooves adapted to beoppositely engaged by the longitudinal edgesof a motion picture film vstrip ll therebetween for guiding the same, the aforesaid lineal bearingmounting of the guide plate 6 extending transversely of the guided stripand affording corresponding movement of the guide plate 5 relative tothe guide plate 3 for confining the strip between the guide grooves forproper guidance of the strip and for conveniently engaging the stripbetween and releasing the same from the guidegrooves.

A bow string II is engaged between the guide plate I and the frameportion 2 and, being operative between the guide plates, serves toyielda= bly urge the guide plate 8 to confine the guided strip betweenthe guide grooves for the proper guidance of the strip, and, by reasonof the guide grooves being curved longitudinally facewise of the guidedstrip, the strip is correspondingly curved and is thus stiifenedtransversely to oppose the pressure of the spring to assure againsttransverse buckling of the strip.

A stud it on the frame member 5 engages in a relatively large apertureil in the guide plate 6 to limit movement thereof.

The portion of the frame member i 'correspending with the guided portionof the strip Hi is projected rearwardly, as designated at l5, and iscurved correspondingly with the guided por. tion of the film and spacedtherefrom, and is provided with a light aperture is intermediate thelongitudinal extent of the guide. 45

A vertically extending bar 2| is secured, by two of the screws 4, on therear faces of the leg portions 5 of the guide plate 3, and ahorizomtally extending plate 22 is plvotally mounted on a vertical axis,as designated at 23, for movement facewise of the guided strip. Aportion of the plate 22 is offset, as designated at 24, to lie inadjacent spaced relation with the rear face of the guided strip l4 andis provided with a light 5 h aperture 25 corresponding with the light aprture It.

A torsion spring 28 is associated with the pivot 23 and serves toyieldably urge the plate 22 toward the guided strip, and a plate 21,forming a part of the pivot 23 and secured on the bar it, forms a stopengageable by the plate 22 in opposition to the spring 28 to positionthe plate 22 in slightly spaced relation with the guided strip. Theplate 22 is thus movable away from the strip guide region to'iacilitateengagement of the strip in and release of the same from the guide.

Referring to Figure 4, the guide grooves corresponding with the guidegrooves 82 and G3, are designated at 28. However, the grooves 28 havethe intermediate portions thereof or lesser curvature, as designated at29, than the end por= tions thereof, as designated at BE, in order thatthe light aperture region of the guided strip be relatively flat. InFigure 4 a iront light aperture structure is indicated at 32 and a rearlight aperture structure is indicated at 33, these light aperturestructures having their light apertures dis posed at the relatively fiatintermediate portion of the guide grooves 28. A collecting lens isindicated at 34 in alinemeni; with the light apertures of the structures32 and 33.

While I have thus described my invention, I do not wish to be limited tothe precise details de== scribed as changes may be readily made with=out departing from the spirit of my invention, but having thus describedmy invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent thefollowing:

1. In a strip feed guide the combination of two guide members providedwith spaced opposing v-grooves adapted to be oppositely engaged by thelongitudinal edges of a strip therebetween for guiding the same, atleast corresponding portions of said grooves being correspondinglycurved longitudinally iacewise of the guided strip, and bearing meansoperative between said guide members whereby said guide members arerelatively movable transversely of the guided strip.

2. In a strip teed guide the combination of two guide members providedwith spaced opposing vgrooves adapted to be oppositely engaged by thelongitudinal edges of a strip therebetween for guiding the same, atleast corresponding portions of said grooves being correspondinglycurved longitudinally iacewise oi the guided strip, bearing meansoperative between said de members whereby said guide members arerelatively bOd.l ly movable transversely of the guided strip, and springmeans yieldably urging said guide members in their relative movement toconfine the strip between said grooves.

3. In a strip feed guide the combination oi two guide members providedwith spaced opposing V-grooves adapted to be oppositely engaged by thelongitudinal edges or a strip therebetween for guiding the same, atleast corresponding portions of said grooves being correspondinglycurved longitudinally iacewise of the guided strip, lineal bearing meansextending transversely of the guided strip and carrying one of saidguide members for corresponding movement relative to the other guidemember, and spring means operative upon said carried guide member andyieldingly urging the same to confine the strip between said grooves.

4. In a cinematographic projector a device for guiding a film in front01 the gate along an arcuate path comprising two complementary plateshaving V-shaped grooves therein facing one another and said groovesextending curvilinearly throughout substantially the entire length ofsaid gate and means for yleldingly moving said plates towards oneanother in accordance with the width of the film whose edges areretained in the grooves of said plates whereby a registration of saidfilm is secured throughout the extent of said gate.

' .5. In a strip feed guide the combination of two guide membersprovided with spaced opposing grooves adapted to be oppositely engagedby the longitudinal edges of a. strip therebetween Ior guiding the same,at least corresponding portions of said grooves being correspondinglycurved longitudinally facewise of the strip, lineal bearing meansextending transversely of the guided strip and carrying one of saidguide members for corresponding movement relative to the other guidemember, said bearing means comprising at least two oppositely opposingparallel pairs of bearing groove formations and at least threetriangularly spaced anti-friction roller bearing elements engagedbetween said pairs of bearing groove formations, and spring meansoperative upon said carried guide member and yieldably urging the sameto confine the strip between said strip guiding grooves.

6. In a strip feed guide the combination of two .guide members providedwith spaced opposing V-grooves adapted to be oppositely engaged by thelongitudinal edges of a strip therebetween for guiding the same, atleast corresponding portions of said grooves being correspondingly'curved longitudinally iacewise of the strip, lineal bearing meansextending transversely of the guided strip and carrying one of saidguide membars for corresponding movement relatively to the'other guidemember, said bearing means comprising at least two oppositely opposingparallel pairs of bearing V-groove formations and at least threetriangularly spaced bearing balls engaged between said pairs of bearinggroove formations, and spring means operative upon said carried guidemember intermediate said bearing groove formations and yieldably urgingthe same to confine the strip between said strip guiding grooves.

7. In a light apertured photographic iilm strip guide the combination oftwo guide members provided with V-grooves adapted to be oppositelyengaged by the longitudinal edges of a strip therebetween for guidingthe same, and at least corresponding portions of said groove formationsbeing correspondingly curved longitudinally facewise of the guidedstrip, bearing means carrying one oi said guide members for movementrelative to the other guidemember transversely of the guided strip,spring means operative upon said carried guide member and yieldablyurging the same toconfine the strip between said grooves, and a lightaperture formation spaced from a face of the strip guided by said grooveformations and mounted independently of said carried guide member.

same, said grooves being correspondingly-curved longitudinally facewiseoflthe strip, linealbearing means extending transversely of the guidedstrip and carrying one of said guide members for corresponding movementrelatively to the other guide member, spring means operative upon saidcarried guide member and 'yieldingly urging the same to confine thestrip between said grooves, a. light apertured member, a pivotalmounting for said light apertured member whereby it is move.- blefacewise of the guided strip, spring means yieldably urging said lightapertured member toward the guided strip, and a stop operative upon saidlight apertured member in opposition to said spring to normally positionsaid light apertured member slightly spaced from the face of the guidedstrip.

- ALBERT S. HOWELL.

